Northwest Elementary students' self-portraits adorn legacy tile wall

Students attending Northwest Elementary School this year are being greeted by their own image smiling down at them.

On a wall, located just inside the front entrance of the school in Houstonia, is a new large-scale mural comprised completely of tiles depicting self-portraits of the entire 2008-09 student body.

Superintendent Bonnie Aaron said the “project has taken quite a while and Northwest Elementary School is very proud of it.”

Principal Sharee Norfleet said the idea for the legacy tile wall was born after visiting other schools who had similar projects displayed in their hallways. Norfleet said she approached art teacher Linda Hoover and the process was started.

Hoover applied for two mini-grants and students sold cookie dough to raise the $1,600 needed to complete the project. A company specializing in legacy walls and school fundraisers, called Art to Remember, created the tiles, Norfleet said.

Aaron said Hoover was inspired to use the children themselves as the theme for the project. The result is a wall-size piece of artwork where each tile is unique. The students drew themselves using crayons and watercolors. One tile, drawn by a student named John, has yellow lightening bolts surrounding his head. Sawyer proudly drew his house and zip code in the background of his portrait while Marissa decorated hers with purple hearts and whimsical butterflies. Some are abstract while others closely resemble school pictures.

The students spent hours practicing before producing the final results in Hoover’s art class last year, Norfleet said.
“This is the beauty of art,” Norfleet said. “The students didn’t have to be great artists to be part of a cool project.”

Hoover spent days arranging the tiles so the colors would pop, Norfleet said. “She (Hoover) did a great job,” Norfleet said.  

Another local artist, Tresa Killion, and her husband Richard, a school board member, installed the wall with the help of their son, Caleb.

Norfleet said the students’ reaction to the wall has been “delightful.”

“We knew the adults would be thrilled,” she said, “but the kids can’t stop looking at it.”

And Norfleet admits she has spent many moments standing before the mural studying the faces.

“It’s always interesting to see how kids see themselves,” she said.  

Norfleet said the school plans to purchase and install a plaque near the tiled artwork which will include a complete list of the student’s names.

Norfleet said using self-portraits for the mural coincides perfectly with the school’s motto, “a caring community of learners.”

Although classes began three weeks ago, Norfleet said the wall would make its’ official debut to the community at 6 p.m. Sept. 16 during the school’s open house.  

“Their (students) artwork is now a legacy,” Aaron said.